After many many failed attempts to enter the KINGdome it has finally happened!
I thought twice about heading out on Sunday morning after getting in from a Christmas dinner in KINGScross at 1:30am. I woke to a steaming headache at 5:30am but soldered on. The fishraider webpage was full of KING encounters around the Ferry Buoy near North Head so a plan watch hatched.
Thought we'd hit the marker for a quick flick with my new reels (Birthday gifts) before any bait gathering. There were 2 or 3 boats already there (6:25am) with live baits down. It appeared that there wasn't much going on I rigged up a white stick bait and threw it towards the buoy (my fist time using braid - loved it!). I started the quick retrieve and the stick bait skirted along the surface of the water, then when it was about 10m's from the boat the water started to break behind the stick - my god it was a KING!
No hook up on the first cast. Second cast made it even closer to the buoy, I let it sink for about 5 seconds and started to wind........
BANG! I was on!!!!! This beast was actually taking line off my reel (in the history of TED fishing, sadly that has never really happened!).
Using my skills obtained from watching many a fishing Video and thanks to ET, I struggled a little but successfully guided the fish away from the buoy. I got it near the boat and off it went again. A Huge last run! The net came out and I boated my first King!!!!
What a great fish! Back into the water she went!
Unfortunately I only had a another two stick baits in my supply which got smashed in the next 10 casts with no further hook ups. The other boats started to throw lures but there didn't have much success - they were hitting the white stick baits!
We then decided to hit some bait grounds and pick up some Yakka's. On the way from the buoy I noticed the leftovers of a smashed stick bait.
I salvaged what I could and rigged it up for one last attempt. I gave my rod to my fishing mate (the owner of the boat) and he cast back in....... BANG! He was on!
We fished the rest of the day with bait for Zip! But left happy men!
Ted